Programs & Events

Special Guests for the Month of December

Friends of Berthoud Pass Avalanche Awareness Class

December 6th, 5:30-7:30pm in the community room

Friends of Berthoud Pass returns to Vail to offer a free public education class for winter back country travelers. This session provides an overview of basic avalanche awareness, avoidance, forecasting, safe travel and self-rescue. Topics such as route selection, hazard minimization, best practices, preparedness and terrain analysis are covered in this 2-hour presentation. This class is a perfect introduction for novices and a great early season refresher for more experienced travelers.

AWE Chamber Music Trio

December 11th, 4:00-5:30pm in the fireplace lounge

“Living the Dream” may be the best way to describe the ambitions and goals of the AWE Chamber Trio. The principals, Charles Broschinsky, Emily Zeigler and Carolyn Schneider, have joined musical forces to further their love of different styles of music and present it to the Vail Valley in unique settings and venues. The Chamber Trio will perform seasonal classics in the fireplace lounge, so pull up a chair, open a good book, and enjoy!

Family Fireside Holiday Party & Cookies with Santa Celebration

December 14th, 5:00-7:30pm in the fireplace lounge

December 14th, 11:00-12:30pm in the children’s room

Join Vail Public Library and Santa for our annual holiday party with crafts, songs, and sitting on Santa’s lap. This year we welcome the Mountain Harmony A Capella group to our event!

The Cookies and Tea with Santa celebration will take place on December 15th, from 11:00-12:30pm, in the Children’s Room. This celebration is for infants and toddlers under the age of three who might find the larger Holiday celebration overwhelming.

Vail’s own Dickens Carolers & Cocoa Bar

December 19th, 6:30-7:30pm throughout the library

Join us in celebrating the holiday season (and the fantastic Victorian wonderland of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol) with the Dickens Carolers, a part of the Vail holidays for over 30 years. A build-your-own-cocoa bar will be supplied by Rimini, so come and enjoy both the carols and the cocoa!

Mountain Harmony A Capella

December 20th, 5:30-6:30pm in the community room

Join us for an Evening of Engagement with the local musical group, Mountain Harmony!

Singing a variety of holiday pieces, Mountain Harmony is sure to catch you up in the spirit of the season. Enjoy the music and light refreshments while you rest and recharge.

Paper Lantern Making Workshop

December 22nd, 1:30-4:30pm in the community room

Create a magical paper lantern with local paper artist Helen Hiebert. This event is free but to ensure adequate supplies, please RSVP with the number of people in your party: meppard@vailgov.com or 970-479-2344.

Ongoing Programs

Knit Night –

2nd and 4th Mondays at 5:30pm

Bring a project or start one here, all abilities and skill levels are welcome at Knit Night! Grab one of the library’s many knitting or crochet books for inspiration, and enjoy an evening with fellow crafters. If you need extra help our teacher, Amy Cohen, is at Alpaca in Eagle where Knit Night is offered every Tuesday. Contact Amy (amyc.knitting911@gmail.com) or Cricket (cpylman@vailgov.com) for more information or call 970-479-2179.

Gentle Yoga –

Mondays and Wednesdays at 11:30am

This may be the yoga class you’re looking for. Here we cultivate compassion for ourselves and others. Though it’s a gentle workout, the emphasis is on working in. This inward focus unites the mind, body & Spirit in an atmosphere of community and collaboration, not competition. Balance, strength and flexibility improve while experiencing deep relaxation. You’ll feel a lightness of being from this powerful and healing practice. Taught by Anne Anderson, Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher, Registered with Yoga Alliance, Professional Ski Instructor of America at Vail; Lionshead Adults, Reiki II Practitioner and Founder of Snowga, a yoga practice on the slopes created to calm the mind and transform the ski experience; less fear, more fun.

Meditation –

Tuesdays at 5:00pm

Meditation is commonly described as the practice of focusing our mental attention to awaken us beyond habitual thinking, so to reveal the nature of reality — what is happening here and now. Although there are many approaches to deepening our awareness of presence, the art of practice lies in embracing the process with curiosity, kindness and a light touch. The Vail Library is pleased to offer community members the opportunity to share in their meditative journey from a community approach.

Please join others in the Community Room at the Vail Library for weekly meditation gatherings on Tuesdays from 5:00 to 6:00. Whether you are well along the path, just beginning to develop a practice or simply interested in exploring the path of meditation with others, we invite you to join community members in a weekly meditation gathering. Meditation gatherings are informal, following no specific approach, practice or formalities. Sessions are currently led by Wendy St Charles or Thomas Guthrie, with visiting guests from time to time, as may be arranged. Each session will open with a brief warm up and breathing exercise, followed by a series of 10 to 20 minute meditation sessions or a brief open discussion, as may be welcomed. Chairs and seating cushions are available.

We hope you will join us!

Namaste and Blessings to all

Zumba – Mondays at 5:30pm

Zumba is an energetic and fun-filled workout! Latin infused rhythms and dance moves combine with hip-hop, salsa, and mambo to bring you an exciting evening of exercise that is as good for your mood as it is for your body! All abilities and fitness levels are welcome to join us in this FREE Zumba program. Monday evenings at 5:30pm, beginning in November.

Community Writer’s Group –

Thursdays from 3:30-5:00pm

Join us for this next step meeting of a Community Writer’s group. We are looking for non-published authors who want to meet weekly. The purpose of this writer’s group is to provide a safe and welcoming space for writers, to write, read and inspire one another. For more information, please call the library at 970-479-2187.

Book a Career Coach –

Available by appointment at Vail Public Library

Get one-on-one career coaching and assistance from the staff of the Edward’s office of the Colorado Workforce Center. Contact them directly (Mellanee Montgomery via email at: mellanee.montgomery@state.co.us or by phone at: 970-926-4440) and then meet at the library for personalized help with resumes, applications, interviews, and more.

The book for December is… pot luck! Or perhaps, given the season, a cookie exchange.

Is there a holiday themed book you love? Or a classic you’ve always found over-rated? Join us for cookies, cocoa, and a lively discussion of holiday favorites old and new!

*Photo Policy

We will be taking pictures and recording video from time to time during programs. If you don’t want to be photographed or recorded, please let us know, and we will do our best to protect your privacy. If you do consent, the photos and video taken may be used on press releases, or on the library’s website and/or social media sites.